Stuff treatment machine and junk remover



June 2, c, P TQLMAN T AL STUFF TREATMENT MACHINE AND JUNK REMOVER Original Filed March 28, 1934 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 g F a 4 Z 9 "llllllllllllllll v L2 I INVENTQRS C/zarle .Talmpy;

svjame Co KT'ToRNEYs June 2, 1936.

C P. TOLMAN ET AL STUFF TREATMENT MACHINE AND JUNK REMOVER Original Filed March 28, 1934 9 Sheets-Sheet 2.

. INVENTORS v Charles 1. TaZmptn BY James 7 .607711 Z i 1' M A/TTORNEYS June 2, 1936. c. P. TOLMAN ET AL STUFF TREATMENT MACHINE AND JUNK REMOVER Original Filed March 28, 1934 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 ChClLYE-Qi? 0Zmqn BY James T CbyhzZZ ATTORNEYS June 2, 3936. c. P. TOLMAN ET AL STUFF TREATMENT MACHINE AND JUNK REMOVER Original Filed March 28, 1934 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 man hill 2M .1045 mc H. R N wr R N 8 0. we aa fi June 2, 1936. Q TOLMAN 5T 4 2,042,566

STUFF TREATMENT MACHINE AND JUNK REMOVER Original Filed March 28, 1934 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS Chmes P. ToZman BY James T Coy/till 206 ArToRNEYs June 2, 1936- c, P TOLMAN AL 2,042,566

STUFF TREATMENT MACHINE AND JUNK REMOVER Original Filed March 28, 1934 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 BY James Z'Coj/UZZ walk W WM ATTORNEYS June 2, 1936. c, TOLMAN AL 2,042,566

STUFF TREATMENT MACHINE AND JUNK REMOVER.

Original Filed March 28, 1934 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 INVENTORS Charles E Tolmarz fames 43% M NM A'II'TORNEYS June 2, 1936. c. P. TOLM AN ET AL 2,042,565

STUFF TREATMENT MACHINE AND JUNK REMOVER Original Filed March 28, 1934 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 I INVENTORS /62 Charles 21 01212401 fames T00 hz ZZ Patented June 2 P TENT/F STUFF TREATMENT MAGHINE'AND BEMOVER Charles P.To1man, Kew Gardens, and James T. Coghill, Hoosick Falls, N. Y., assignors, by mesne assignments, to The Noble & Wood Machine Co., Hoosick Falls, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application March 28,

1934, Serial No. 717,718

, Renewed December 14, 1934 47 Claims.

The present invention relates to an improvement in stuff treatment. machines wherein the. material to be treated is fed under pressure and passed in fluid form or in afiuid medium through a treating gap or zone, One-object among others of our invention has been to provide a machine or mill of the type indicated embodying devices for easily and effectively disposing of foreign objects Y or materials occurring in the stuff to be treated 19 andnot adapted to be passed through the treatment zone. This feature may conveniently be referred to as the trash remover or purging device.-

A further object of our invention, as applied to apparatus having a fixed time factor and wherein the extent or degree of treatment of-thematerial or stock at a given rate of throughput is a function of the pressure exerted thereon. in the space between the rotor and one or more 29 stators, i. e., the shoe pressure/has been to provide suitable means for automatically controlling said shoe pressure in relation to the feed pressure, that is, the pressure exerted upon the stock in the feed chamber or at the inlet opening of the shear ing gap, or treatment zone.

One embodiment of our invention adapted more particularly for. the treatment or preparation of paper stock or the like is illustrated in the accompanying drawings attached to and forming a part of the present specification and'in which- Figure 1 is a front end elevation with outer parts thereof removed to disclose interior portions and with other structural features shown in vertical section; i

Figure 2', a section on the line 2- -2 of Figure 1;

,Figure 3, 2. plan view of the base member upon of Figure 5;

Figure 7, a side elevation of a form of stator unit and fluid pressure connections thereto empicyed in the construction shown in Figure 5;

terior portions of the removable stator unit in Figure 1, including the controllably. adjustable shoe and hand operated control valve;

Figure 9, a vertical section on the line 9-9 of FigureB; a

Figure 10, a section on the line Ill-l0 6f Figure 8;

- Figure 11, 'ure 8; l

Figure 8, a longitudinal section illustrating in-f a section on the line Il ll of Fig Figure 12, a diagram illustrating connections.

FI CE i between the shoe pressure cylinders, and shoe pressure control devices;

Figure 13, a diagram showing a of shoe pressure control, automatic in operation;

Figure 14, a detail in section showing a form of ball valve in the feed pressure feeler line;

Figure 15, a side view, enlarged and partly in vertical section of details of interior construction of the compensator shown in Figure 13.

Figure 16, a rear elevation of the mill illustrated in Figure 1 with the cover plates removed to show more clearly the, piping connections to the rear frame for admitting fiuid pressure to the shoe actuating cylinders and for disposin waste therefrom.

Figure 17, a fragmentary section through th rear frame on the line l'|l'l of Figure 16;

in feed pressure; and

Figure 20, a. detail in section showing a form of return control valve adapted for use with the apparatus of Figure 19.

In the machine shown in the drawings, a rotor. I, having peripheral grooves 31, is mounted to rotate in the'direction of the arrow, Figure 1, in a superstructure supported on a base 2 and is driven through shaft 3 by a motor or other power source, not shown, Shaft 3 is journaledin bearings 4 mounted in spiders 5, one of which is opposite a front frame 6 and the other of .which is opp site a rear frame I, said frames being spaced apart by suitable means, as, at the bottom, by a casting 8 and at the top by a spacer 9. A tie bolt V I0 passes through upper portions of both frames and the spacer 9. Another tie bolt l4, Figure 2, ,passes through lower portions of said frames and 40 through said casting 8.

The inner face of frame 61 forms an annular shoulder II and the inner face of frame 1 forms an annular shoulder l2. Bolts I3 secure the spacers in operative position between the frames 6 and I. As shown in Figure 1, the mill is provided with a plurality of radially arranged stator units removably mounted between frames 6 and 1 and includingcylinder caps l5 secured to'the shoulders I I and I2 by bolts l1 passing through end portions of cylinder blocks l6. Each stator unit, Figures 8 to 11 inclusive, also includes a shoe carrier [8 movable in a radial direction toward modified form and from rotor I and having a dovetail slot l9 adapted to releasably retain a shoe, as 20 or 2|. 5 The shoe 20, hereinafter designated the first shoe, is. preferably of suitable metal and fitted with a projecting nose 22. The shoes 2i; may bemade of wood, metalpr other suitable material,

depending on the conditionsof use.

The working faces of the shoes may be continuous or plain, Figure 5, for some purposes, or, as shown in Figure 1 and Figures Bto 11, maybe w provided with grooves 205 and/orrecesses 228 as small drill holes. It has been found that with the grooved and/or recessed shoe; a greater amount of power can be effectively applied to the same character of stock under treatment.

In the space between the first shoe 22 and the last shoe 2|, suitably formed castings provide a feed'in'let chamber or passage 22, a stock discharge or outlet passage or chamber 24, and a trash discharge passage ortchamber 25; The inletfchamber 22 communicates with afeed inlet opening 28 at one side of the base 2 and, as

shown in Figures 2 and 3, the discharge chamber 24 communicates with a discharge opening 21 near the front end of the base. A drain opening 28, in base 2, connects with the trash discharge passage 25 andalso receives waste or leakage through seal ring drain passages 29, 20, 2|, Figure 2, and other drain pasages22 and 22, Fig-- ures l and 3. A removable cover 24 closes an opening into the feed inlet chamber 22 and a removable cover 25, closes an opening 'into the discharge passage of chamber 24. A doctor bar 26 extends across said chamber opposite the last shoe 2i and is adjustable toward and from the rotor periphery. Another transverse bar 22 is mounted in the feed chamber 22 opposite the' first shoe 2| and is adjustable towardand from the rotor A small chamber 22 between said bars 26 and 22. connects with the drain passage 2| through openings orducts 42.

The drain passage 2| .connectswith the stock discharge chamber and opening 21 so that, under some circumstances-leakage stock may be carried into the finished stock. A removable plug 201 having a handle 2221s seated in the drain passage 22' when it is desired to route the leakage material to drain 22 through passage 22. By opening passage 20f and closing passage 22 by means of plug-221, the leakage material runs into the stock discharge chamber.

, As indicated more clearly in Figure 2, seal rings 4| are held in position by adjusting bolts 42 opposite peripheral edge portions ,of rotor I which are provided with radial grooves 42. During rapid rotation of the rotor l counter-pressure develops in grooves 42 to oppose leakage from the rotor ends without the use of packing or of frictional contact between-the rotor and'rings 4l-. v

As seen more clearly in Figures 9, l and 11, undercut grooves 44 are provided in the sides and ends of stator cylinder blocks l which, by intercepting solid particles, bring aboutthe formation of leak opposing barriers between the contiguous surfaces of said blocks and between the ends of the blocks and adjacent surfaces of thefront and rear frames. Vertically disposed grooves 44' in the ends of shoes 62, Figure 5, perform a similar function.

In normal operation of a mill of the type thus far described, and whichforms in partthe sub-' iect matter of a co-pendingapplication of Charle P. Tolman, Serial No. 717,717, filed March 28th, 1934 the furnish or material for treatment, where it. comprises up to of wood pulp in 'water for example, is forced in a continuous supply under suitable pressure through inlet opening 22 and feed chamber 22 into contact with thegroovedperiphe'ry of rotor I which, in a preferred embodiment, attains a peripheral speed of about 12000. ft. per minute. Particles of suitable size are forced by the feed pressure into the.

peripheral grooves 21 of which, in the mill asshowninFlguresljnd5is-around %thinch wide, decreasing in depth rearwardly from a maximum of approximately .08 inch near its leading edge'to the land between its rear edge and the next groove and defining a substantially streamline contour of the leading face of the land which produces a combined scouring and wiping efiect in operation.- It will be understood that these dimensions and the shape of the grooves may be varied to meet diflerent conditions of use. During rotation, each groove of the rotor, as it passes the feed chaniber'22, picks up a small amount of pulp, depending on the amount of the feed pressure, which therefor determines themill's capacity or rate of throughput, apd carries it into the treatment zone or shearing .gap where it is subjected to; the intended treatment, provided the material presented is of suitable sizeto pass the inlet opening tosaid zon. In respect to any given kind of stuff, the insufiicientlyreduced particles and foreign objects such as pieces of wire, gravel, glass,

. etc. andother trash therein accumulate against or adjacent to the front face of shoe and,

unless removed, eventually obstruct the supply 7 of stock to the treatmentzone.

According to our invention, a suitably controllablegate or valve as, Figure 1, mounted on. a

shaft, is interposed in an opening between the feed chamber 22 and the trash chamber 25, One

end of said shaft extends through a 1mm wall I of the machine and, in a hand operated embodiment, carries an operating lever 41, Figure 18.

As the gate is rocked rearwardly against theincomingsupply of material the effective cross sectional areaof chamber 22 isconstricted, thus producinga correspondingly increased velocity of the stuff stream which now scours past the shoef hose 22 dislodgingithe trash accumulation and dischargingit freely into the trash chamber 25. This purging or cleaning efi'ect may be aided by flushing with waterthrough a nozzle or nozzles suitably positioned, as adjacentto the nozzle 48 at the end of pipe l2l, for example, across the face of shoe 22 and nosejl. said nozzle or'noz-' zles being mounted in and extending through a block 42 carrying side plates 52, the inner edges of which are brought close to-the rotor by manipu- .50

lating adjusting screws II and when so positioned, oppose leakage of stock from the feed chamber. The gate 45 carries a suitable flexible contact strip 52 'of'rubber, rubberized fabric or the like, toprovide an effective closure-across the end of said gate and to prevent injury to' the parts in case the gate is closed againsta rigid foreign object or substance. The arrows and direction lines in Figure 1 indicate the course oi the stufi stream when the gate is in its intermediate partly open position, suggested by dotted lines 45'. Where the gate is retracted to dotted lineposition 45" the feed stream is substantially shut off and the purging or cleaning out of trash may forming relationito individually adjustable stators 32 provided with removable shoes as. A suit-- ably shaped casting provides a stuff inlet chamto be treated, i. e. pulp, is fed into said chamber under suitable pressure, and subjected to morgber 64 having a lateral inlet opening". Material I discharged into chamber 66, portions thereof be-- ing guidedby a doctor 61 supported at the end of a doctor plate 88. A discharge opening or de livery spout 69 receives and discharges the treated product from the mill.

As applied to the preparation, refining or fin- I ishing of fibrous cellulose material in paper and board'manufaoture, apparatus of the types shown in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive, when operated in connection with suitable methods, providesa stock refining action which produces a high degree of wetting in relation to the amount of cutting. For practical purposes, it may be said that the apparatus produces wetting without cutting, the reduction in fiber length being so small as to be negligible. In this respect said apparatus is free from the operating limitations inherent in machines of the Hollander and Jordan types and others in which increased wetting effect is always accompanied by increasedicutting.

As in the case of the mill first described, Figures 1 to 3, trash usually accumulates in the feedv box adjacent to the rotor during operation of the apparatus shown iii Figure 5. Clean out -or purging means for this waste material include a trashdischarge chamber 10 having an outlet 1| atone side, Figure 6, and a water inlet 12 at the opposite side. A valve or gate 13 is pivotally mounted in a suitable opening between stock inlet chamber 64 and trash discharge chamber 10, said gate having a flexible edge piece [4, as of rubber or rubberized fabric, which bears against a shoulder 15 when valve 13 is in closed position. A packing strip 16 extends across the opposite edge of valve 13 and opposes leakage past said edge and the adjacent curved wall l'l. Suitable means such as the hand operated lever 41, Figure 6, maybe employed to actuate valve 13.

However,when valve I3 is moved toward open or dotted'line position, Figure 5, the securing effect of the stuff stream is initially confluent with the. direction'of rotation of rotor GI and the obstructing matter is dislodged and discharged into chamber 18 from which it is flushed out by water jet 12 through said trash discharge outlet 1!.

As applied to paper making and the like, the purging apparatus of our invention not only makes practical the use of continuously operating defibering, fibrillating or wetting machines for example, butalso protects saidmachines and the quality of the ultimate board or paper prodnot. In box board manufacture, substantial economies are effected by eliminating a consider able part of the hand sorting and cleaning of the raw waste stock. These advantages are of course additional to the novel and effective stufi finishing capabilities of the mill and the wide range of control which it affords over the extent and character of stuff treatment.

To achieve effective control over the character and/or extent of treatment of the stufl. fed to the mill, each shoe carrier .l8 is mounted at the ends of rods I9 of pistons-8| 'operatingin cylinders 80 of the cylinder block l6, Figures 7 to 11 inclusive, and means are provided to con-' trollably.move said pistons and therefore the shoes 2| toward and away'from the treatment zone'or gap. i

One kind of treatment zone pressure control also disclosed in said co-pending application of Charles. P. Tolman, Serial No. 717,717 filed March 23, I934 involves manual'operation of fluid pressure means for raising and lowering either all together, or in groups, or-each shoe individually and independently'of .the others, Figures '7 and 12. Another kind of control forming in part the, subject matter of our present invention involves operation of fluid pressure shoe raising and lowering means automatically in response to pressure variations in the feed chamber 23, and may affect all or any group or groups of the shoes either in the same or in different degrees, Figure 13. This feature is particularly useful in a quale. However, for a. single shoe machine, or in a mill having a moderate number of shoes, the

hand control by reference to gauge indicated feed pressure variatisns is satisfactory undersuitable conditions.

In the treatment of sulphite pulp, for example, this being one of many uses for which a mill embodying our improvements may be employed,.

one of which is preferably provided with a tell- We in the, form of a-rod I50 indicating by its-up or down position whether or not the shoe is up. or down, in relation to the rotor. In the form of device shown in Figures 8-to 11 inclusive, such a valve for actuating a single shoe is conveniently located in the cap I5 and comprises a truncated with a duct 88 opening through the annular surface of shoulder l2 of rearframe 1. A port 89 in cook 82 is positioned to communicate with a passage H4 leading to the lower side of piston 8| and another port 98 communicaes with'a passage I H3 leading to the upper side of said p ston, de-

pending on the position of rotation of said cock 82. communicate with a relief or bleed duct 92 in cap l5 when port 89 is turned t operative pressure is in operative pressure admitting position. With the parts positioned as shown in Figure 11, both A lateral recess 9| is positioned therein to inlets are inoperative and no pressure is in the cylinders. 88. The relief :duct .97. communicates with a relief .duct 84 which extends through cap l-5 andblock l6 into a relief outlet 95 opening through the annu'ar face of shoulder l2 of rear frame I. Fluid, as water under suitable pressure is supplied to the respective pressure supply ducts 88 bythe supply pipe-s95, 91. 98. 99 or I95, Figure 16. each controlled by a suitable hand valve, as

the space between the rear'frame l and rear cover plates, not-identified. Pipe 96 supplies cock 32 for single shoes, or by a four way valve pressure. By suitably throttling the needle valves I05, Figure '7, the pressure supply pipes aforesaid, or their equivalent, are connected with a common mainor otherwise supplied withrluid at suitable pressure. Where-automatic control of single shoes or groups of shoes is required and provision is made for applying diflerent pressures to different shoes or groups of shoes, as in a multiple shoe machine, said supply pipes will preferably connect-directly or.indirect1y with a main,

each through a suitable andseparate pressure regulating mechanism, such for example as those shown in Figures 12 and 13.

As shown in Figure 12, water or othersuitable .fiuid underpressure is suppiied from main I03 through a strainer I04 toa four way reversing valve I05. with said valve arranged as shown,

1. e. to supply pressure to the several pipes 93, 91,- etc., a supply pipe I" connects with each of the supply pipes of the several shoes or groups of shoes through a manually adjustable pressure regulating valve, as I31, which is by-passed by a pipe containing a one way valve, I03. A trickle valve I03 connectswith the by-pass pipe.: In. operation, the fluid, as waterunder pressure, passes regulatingvalve' I0'I"and while moving pistons 3| into down position for example, and

while holding them in said position, vents through pipes I02 and III, and valve I05 into waste discharge llli.

Where the. regulators III are set 'fordifi'erent pressures, correspondingly diiferent degrees of shoe pressure will be produced as between difl'er- "'ent shoes orgroups of shoes. To release pressure from all the shoes affected by the condition just described, 'valve I35 is turned to 011 position whereuponpipe I I3 becomes the supply pipe.

and pipe I03zthe return or relief pipe receiving the ventedfiuid through the one way by-pass valves I08. A gauge III discloses pressure in main I03 and the several gauges I I2 disclose pressures in each of the lines connecting with to our invention for automatic shoepressure pipe I06.

A suitable arrangement of devices according control in response to variations in feed'pressure as distinguished, for example, from the manual control disclosed in Tolm'an's co-pending application aforesaid, is shownin Figure 13. In this case, an automatic regulator or compensator II! is positioned in the line I I3. Interchangeably with or instead of the manually adjustable pressure regulators I31, needle valves 6 may be used, since the compensator supplies regulated H0 and adjusting'the trickle valve or dribble vents I09, any desired shoe actuating pressure may be obtained in the several supply pipes to the shoes.

Provision is made for a separate independent water or pressure inlet to the first shoe 2! by a .pipe in communicating directly with the main' m andhavinga hand throttle valve m. This .arrangement permits the first shoe. which is preferably of metal for some uses, to be burned was time, applying pressure to the remaining shoes. In subsequent operations, valve H8 remains closed.

Details of construction of the compensator-J ii are shown in Figure 15. Thecasing sections connected by suitable bolts support a large diaphragm I I3 and a small diaphragm I20. Water under a pressure vaiue which continuously refleets. that of the pressure in stufl feed inlet chamber 23 through feeler nozzle 40 and a feeler pipe I2I connecting therewith is admitted freely to the under side of. diaphragm H3. An increase in feed pressure from zero, or other pre- ,determined minimum, displaces .the diaphragm H3 and plate I22 upwardly so that an extension I23 of said plate bears upwardly against the underside of diaphragm I20. A vent I24 releases air from the chamber above diaphragm I I3. The space above the upper side of small diaphragm I is in free communication with the discharge side or chamber I25 of valve housing which has an inlet chamber I26,'the latter being connected to pipe I06 and the discharge side. being connected topipe I21, Figural-3.

A hollow valve seat member I23 is threaded inthe partition between thevalve chambers I26.

retains a spring I in operativepositioi'wlth its 35 inner end bearing against a portion of the bottom of recess- I33 in said piston I3I to normally hold the lower end thereof in-seating engagement with tapered shoulder" I32. I

distem; I31, having its upper end engaging a recess in the lower end of piston I3I, is interposed between said piston and a short plunger I33 mounted for vertical sliding movement in" a suitably shaped opening in the valve casing between the outlet chamber I25 and the space above small diaphragm I20.- A duct I33 also opens through the same portion of the casing and permits equalization of pressure on the top and bottom ends of plunger I33. In the specific example illustrated in the draw ings, the compensator is calibrated to continuously regulate the full supply water pressure-in pipes I06 and I21 through a range up to 16 times 1 A .pipe is provided with a needle valve I32 which admits full pressurewater to pipe I2I at junctionsifl. I

At'one side thereof is a tell-tale ball'valve I provided with a glass casing, Figures 13' and 14,

m connected to the supply mm mthrough which the passage of water to the feed chamber through feeler. pipe I2l may be observed. The amount so diverted to said chamber is relatively small and such as to exert no. ap-

preciable addition either to the water content of the material under treatment or to-the actual feed pressure in the feed box or chamber 23. The-ball valve I also'opposes accidental back I; flow through pipe 'I2I which would, depending -on.pressure conditions infeed chamber. 23,, tend to plug the discharge end of said pipe.

At the other side of Junction-"31s a needle I valve I45 regulatable to admit a small amount of water at approximately the stuff ifeed'pressure into the space below the large diaphragm of comany desired pressure between said i'eedpressure and zero, the discharge side of said valve I46 being provided with awaste outlet I41. By regulating said valves I45 and I46, the compensator and related devices can be set to cause the delivery of shoe pressures through pipe I21 at any desired or practical ratio of-feed pressure to shoe pressure. Accordingly, whenthe teed pressure increases or ,decreases in' feed chamber 23, the shoe pressure varies in the same direction by the established ratio, subject of course, to any differential-or difierentials as between diflerent shoes or different groups of shoes due to settings of the several valves H6, or I01, it such be used. It will be apparent that this shoe-pressure control mechanism notonly afiords effective means for automatically controlling the extent and/ or character of treatment of the stuff or stock bht also constitutes a. safety device whereby, in case the Supply of stock should failin the feed box or inlet chamber 23, pressure on" the shoes, will be automaticallyrelieved, thus protecting the stock and avoiding burning, scoring and/or other damage to the rotor. I

In the arrangement shown in Figure 13, the needle valve or-other regulating or reducing device may be omitted from pipe I48 if desired to insure delivery of the maximumpressure to the last group of shoes .11 and permit any desired gradient of differential pressures to be applied to the remaining or other groups of shoes. An advantage thereof is that, in the treatment of some stuffs, the material will beneficially take higher pressures as the' treatment progressesfrom one shoe or set of shoes tothe next. In case a regulating valve or the like is included in the pressure i tially constant pressure. Means are also -provided for adjusting such devices to feed stufisubstantially constantly at difi ere'nt pressures within a suitably wide range. These controls relate par-.

,ticularly to the mill capacity or rate of throughput. So far as the feed pressure is regulatable over a wide range, the mill capacity is widely flexible and capable of satisfying different volume demands; and so far as the controls maintain a given pressure substantially constant, the

capacity or throughput'remains substantially uniform. In the refining,- finishing or wetting of wood pulp, for example, these features are especially important, both-in actual production and in their relation to economy in plant equipment,

As shown in Figure18, stock is fed to the mill inlet from a supply chest 20 I.through a stock'supply conduit. II by means or a suitable pulnp I52.

A time I53 registers pressure in said conduit which includes a T section I54 having'one outlet opening toward the mill and another toward a return 'conduit I55 positioned to discharge into chest 2!. 'A Feeney type return control or regulator is interposed in the return line. One form thereof includes a valve plug I56 mounted on a lever I51 pivoted at I58 and having removable weights I59 suspended at its .free end. 'In op eration, with a given calibration and setting of the parts. described, stuff is forced upwardly through conduit I5I by pump I52. A sumcient amount thereof to substantially maintain the predetermined feed pressure is forced into the feed box or chamber of the mill. Any excess of pressure,

causes overflow or return of stock past valve plug I56. As will be readily understood, the feed pressure in conduit I5I is increased by adding weights to I59 and diminished by removing weigh therefrom. I r a For automatically regulating the feed pressure of stocks having the properties of sulphite' pulp, for example, particularly where the consistency is 3%% or higher, a positively actuated control valve affords superior certainty in operation. As shown in Figure 19 and as disclosed in the copending application of James T. Coghill, Serial No. 117,719, filed March 28, 1934, a T section I60 is interposed in conduit I5I, one arm of said sec-v tion providing anopening I6I, Figure 20, into the stock return conduit I55. In a preferred embodiment, said opening I6I,'Figure 20, is squar'eln shape and provided with a suitable gate I62 movable across said opening and actuated by a piston rod I63 of a piston I64 mounted in cylinder I65. An opening I66 admits fluid under pressure into said cylinder at one side of said piston and another opening I61 admitsfluid under pressure at the other side thereof. In the device shown, the valve including gate I62 produces an effective area of the opening I6I which varies as the square of the extent of gate movement, thus adapting the construction for emcient operation when hanpipe I68 and through opening I-61 by a pipe I69,

the direction of flow or pressure through said pipes being controlled by pilotvalve I16 havingf 'a.waste vent HI and a supply inlet pipe I12. The neutral position of the ports in pilot valve I16 is determined by the position. of a balance beam L13 pivoted at I14 and having a slidable weight I15. A fulcrum I16 is arranged with one end engagingthe underside of beam I13 and the other end resting on the diaphragm I11 extending across a chamber l18- which is connected by a pipe I19 to the feed pressure ifeeler line- I2I where 'theapparatus includes automatic shoe pressure control, Figure 13', or,'as shown *in Figure" 19,

directly to the feed pressure chamber 23. In the latter case, a needlevalve- I 86 admits a suitable supply of water to said pipe I19 from the water main I8I to prevent clogging by stufl. in the feed chamber. y

In operation, the position of weight I15 along; beam I13'will be set to maintain any desired feed pressure, indicated for example b gauge I62.

Ii the feed pressure rises, diaphragm I11 moves r up and in so doing rais s the free end of beam I13. A link or stem I83 connects said beam with the moving part of. pilot valve I10 so that when feed pressure falls below the balanced value, ad-

beam. I 13 moves upwardly supply water under.

pressure is admitted through a port of valve I16 justment in the oppositesense' is eflected. With the arrangement above described any predetermined suitable-feed box pressuremay be automatically and positively maintained within a sat-' isfactory range of variation. The extent of movement-of the free end of beam I'll may be limited by adjustable stops I and I85. A pin I86 projects from the beam laterally and in position to be engaged with a cam action by a curved portion of one arm I81 of a lever pivoted at I88, the other arm I89 being provided with a weight which in one position locks the beam out of operation, and in the other permits the beam to move freely between the stops I and I85.

Of the various novel and useful constructions and embodiments herein above described and 'shown in the drawings, the subject'matter jointly invented by us relates more particularly to the removal of trash, to control of the degree oicharacter of stufi treatment by automatically controlling pressure in the shearing gap or treating zone in response to feed. pressure variations, and to maintenance automatically of a predetermined quality or state of the product by said zone or gap pressure control combined with appropriate devices for maintaining an-approximately constant feed pressure.

In starting a ,run on a machine provided with said control features, the feed pressure control is set to deliver to the feed chamber a volume of.

feed box pressure reaches .the predetermined value fixed by the setting, at which point a balance is established between feed pressure and shoe pressure as previously explained. If ins'pection of the product shows thatthe stock needs more or less treatment, the" result maybe reached by suitably regulating valve I46, for example, by adjusting any or all of the diflerential regulating valves related to the several pipes leading to the shoes, or in any other manner which will increasebr diminish the energy expenditure on the stock in process of treatment. The controls will then, of course, operate to, automatically maintain the new conditions of treatment.

We claim as our invention: 1. In a stuff treatment machine, the combina tion of a rotor and astator operatively arranged in relation to a peripheral surface of said rotor to form a treatment zone between them, means for delivering material to and confining it in a feed chamber underpressureand in contact with a portion of said peripheral surface of the rotor in advance of the stator, means for actuating the rotor to move suitably sized particles of said material into said treatment zone, means positioned and adapted to accumulate other particles at one side thereof in said feed chamber, a trash outletfor said accumulated particles, and a valve operatively arranged between said feed chamber and said trash outlet to intercept said other particles when closed and to pass said other particles when open.

2,, Apparatus according to claim 1 and wherein the valve is provided. with a gate which is normally closed by pressure of, material against it and means are provided for moving said gate against said pressureto open it.

. 3. Apparatus according to claim 1 and wherein the valve includes a gate and a port and the gate is pivotally mounted between the inlet end of'the treatment zone and said trash outlet. 4. Apparatus according to claim 1 and wherein position.

* said discharge port, and the valve includes a rowhich is positioned in advance. of the stator and in relation to a peripheral surface of the rotor to form a film shearing gap, means for delivering 70 a passageway connects the feed chamber with I said trash outlet and a valve gate is arranged to extend across said eway when in closed position. I I

5.. Apparatus accordingto claim 1 and wherein 5 a passageway connects the feed chamber and said trash outlet, and the valve includes a rotatable. gate which is disposed across said passageway to control the movement of said accumula'ted particles to the trash outlet. 1

. Apparatus according to claim land where in the accumulating means includes a deflector which is positioned in advance of the stator for deflecting unsuitably sized particles, from the inlet end of the treatment zone toward said valve.

7." Apparatus according to claim 1 and wherein the rotor periphery is provided with transverse grooves and the material delivering means includes devices for feeding the, stuff to be treated, including particles small enough to be admitted to the treatment zone and other particles which are too large, against said rotor grooves, and the c suitably sized particles of said material out of said chamber into said gap, means adapted to accumulate other particles in the chamber at one side of the gap, a discharge portior said accumulated particles, and a valve operatively arranged between said inlet end of the gap and said discharge port to intercept said other particles when closed and to pass saidothe'r particles when open.

- 9. Apparatus according to claim 8 and wherein the valve is mounted to be normally closed by pressure of material against it and means are provided for moving said valve against said pres sure to open it. I

10. Apparatus according-to claim 8 and wherein the valve is pivotally mounted between the inlet end of the gap and said-discharge port.

11. Apparatus according toclaim 8 and wherein a passageway connects the feed chamber with said discharge port and the valve gate is arranged to extend across said passageway'when in closed 12. Apparatus according to claim 8 and where- 1 in a passageway connects the feed chamber and tatable gate ,which is across said passageway to control the movement of said accu- -mulated particles toward the discharge port.

13. Apparatus according to'claim 8 and wherein the accumulating means includes a deflector extends into the feed chamber to deflect unsuitably sized particles from the inlet end of said gap toward said valve. K

14'. In apparatus for stuif treatment, the combination of a rotor, a stator operatively arranged stock comprising material in a fluid medium under pressure to-the inlet end of said gap, means for subjecting a fllm of said stock simultaneously to pressure and film shearing action in thegap, means for regulating said gap pressure, and means 2,04asee operatively connected to said stock delivering means and responsive to pressure variations therein for automatically controlling operation of said gap pressure regulating means.

1 15. Apparatus according to claim 14 and wherein the means for subjecting the fllm of stock to pressure in the gap includes means for applying pressure to the stator and means for regulating said pressure.

16. Apparatus according to claim 14 and wherein the film pressure inthe gap is. regulated by means for applying controllably adjustable fluid pressure to the stator.

17. Apparatus according to claim 14 and wherein the means for regulating the gap pressure includes the stator, means for applying fluid pressure to said stator, and means connected to and controlled by said pressure responsive means for adjusting said fluid pressure applied to the stator.

18. Apparatus according to claim 14 and-wherein the means for regulating the gappressure includes the stator, means for applying fluid pressure to said stator, and means connected to and controlled by said pressure responsive means for adjusting said fluid pressure applied to said stator and wherein said pressure responsive means includes a fluid pressure supply line connected to the stator, a compensator valve in said supply line and a feed pressure feeler line connected to the stock delivering means and to-said compensator valve.

19. In stuff treatment apparatus, thecombinationof a rotor, a plurality of stator units operatively arranged in relation to a peripheral surface of the rotor to form a-fllm shearing gap, each of said units including a pressure cylinder, a piston and a shoe mounted on the piston, means for supplying fiuid pressure to said shoes, means for independently regulating the amount of fluid pressure to each shoe, means for simultaneously adjusting the pressure supplied to all of said shoes,-

' control means connected tosaid material feeding means and responsive to variations therein to regulate the pressure supplied all of said "shoes. r

'20. Apparatus according to claim 19 and wherevin means are provided for moving each shoe toward and from the shearinggap independently of said shoe pressure supplying and controlling devices. 21. In stuif treatment apparatus, the combination of a rotor and a stator operatively arranged in relation to 'a peripheral surface of said rotor to form a film shearing gap between-them, means for feeding material in a liquid medium and under 22. In a stufi treatment machine, the combina- 7 tion of a rotor and a stator operatively arranged in relation to a peripheral surface of said rotor to form a treatment zone between them, means for delivering material to said treatment zone under pressure,- means for actuating the rotor to move suitably sized particles of said material into and -through said treatment zone, means positioned and adapted to accumulate other particles at the inlet side of said zone, a trash outlet for said other particles, a valve operatively arranged to intercept said other particles when closed, and means for opening said valve to discharge said. other particles from the inlet side of said treatment zone to said trash outlet.

' 23. Apparatus according to claim 22 and wherein the valve is provided with a gate which is normally closed by pressure of material against it and means are provided for moving said gate against said pressure to open it. a 24. Apparatus according to claim 22 and wherein the valve includes a gate and a port and the gate'is 'pivotally mounted between the inlet end of. thetreatment zone and said trash outlet.

25. Apparatus according to claim 22 and where- 'in a passageway connects the material delivering means with said trash outlet and a valve gate is arranged to extend across said passageway when in closed position. V 26. Apparatus according to claim 22 andwherein a passageway connects the material delivering .means and said trash outlet, and the valve includes a rotatable gate which is disposed across said passageway to control the movement of said accumulated particles to the trash outlet.

27. Apparatus according to claim 22 and wherein the accumulating means includes a deflector which is positioned in advance of the stator for deflecting unsuitably sized particles from the inlet end of the treatment zone toward said valve.

28. Apparatus according to claim 22 and 'where in the rotor periphery is provided with transverse grooves and the material delivering means inpiudes devices for feeding the "material to be treated, including particles small enough to be admitted to the treatment zoneand other particles which are too large, into said rotor grooves, and the accumulating means are positioned to intercept the too large particles and accumulate them in position tobe discharged when the trash valve is opened.

29. In a stuff treatmentmachine, the combination of a stator and a rotor arranged to form V a treatment zone between them, means for feedingmaterial in a fluid medium and under pressure including a feed chamber opening upon a peripheral portion of the rotor at the inlet end of said zone, means foractuating the rotor tomo'v'e suitably sized particles of said material out of said chamber. into said treatment'zone, means adapted to accumulate other particles in the "chamber at orieside of the gap, a discharge portfor said accumulated particles, and a valve operatively arranged between said inlet end of the gap and said discharge port to intercept said other particles when closed and to pass said other particles when open.

30. Apparatus according to claim 29 and where- Y in the valve is mounted to be normally closed by pressure of material against-it and means are provided for moving saidvalve against said pressure to open it. I I

31.' Apparatus according to claim 29 and wherein the valve is pivotally mounted between the inlet end of the gap and said discharge port.

32.. Apparatus according to claim 29 and wherein a passageway connects the feed chamber with said discharge-port and the valve gate is arranged to extend across said passageway when in closed position.

33. Apparatus according to claim 29 and where- J in a passageway connects the-feed chamber and said discharge port, and the valve includes a rotatable, gate which is disposed across said pas- 34. Apparatus according to claim 29 and wherein the accumulating means includes a deflector which is positioned in advance of the stator and extends into the feed chamber to deflect unsuitably sized particles from the inlet end of said gap toward said valve.

nected to the material 35. In apparatus for stuff trcati'nent, the combination ofa rotor, a stator operatively arranged in relation to a peripheral surface of the rotor to form a treating zone, means for delivering material in fluid form or in a fluid medium under pressure to said treating zone, means for subject-" ing said material to pressure in the treating zone, means for regulating said treating zone pressure and means operatively connected to said material delivering means and responsive'to pressure variations therein for automatically controlling operation of said zone pressure regulating means.

36. Apparatus according to claim and' wherein the means for subjecting the material to pressure in the treating zone includes means for applying pressure to the stator and means for varying said pressure.

37. Apparatus according to claim 35 and wherein thepressure in the treating zone is regulated by means for applying controllably adjustable fluid press'ureto the stator.

38. Apparatus according to claim '35 i an \jvherein'the means for regulating the treating zone pressure includes the stator, means for. applying fluid' pressure to said stator, and means connected to and controlled by said pressure responsive means for adjusting applied to the stator.

3'9. Apparatus'according to claim 35 wherein the means for regulating the treating zone pressure includes the stator, means for applying fluid pressure to said stator, and means connected to and controlled by said pressure responsive means for adjusting said fluid pressure applied to'said stator, and wherein said pressure responsive ,means includes a fluid pressure supply line con-' nected to the stator, a compensator valve in said supply line. and a feed pressure feeler line con-. delivering means and to said compensator valve.

* 40. In stuff treatment apparatus. the combination of a rotor, a plurality of stator units operatively arranged in relation to a peripheral surface of the rotor to form therewith a treating zone, each of said units includinga cylinder, a pis-' ton therein and a shoe mounted on the piston,

means for supplying fluid pressure to actuate said shoes, means forindependently regulating the amount of fluid pressure to each shoe, means for simultaneously'adjusting the pressure supplied to. all of said shoes, means for feeding material underpressure into said treating zone, and shoe pressure control means connected to said material feeding meansand responsive to plied to allof said shoes.

41. Apparatus according'to claim 40 and wherein means are provided for moving each shoe toward and from the rotor independently of said shoe pressure supplying and controlling devices.

'variaiions therein to regulate the pressure sup- 42. In stufl'treatment apparatus, the cpmbi-,

nation of a rotor and a stator operatlvely arranged in relation to a peripheral surface of said said fluid pressure away from said peripheral surface of the rotor,

and means for controlling said stator moving means to move the stator'toward the rotor in response to an increase in feed pressure of the material and to move said stator away from the rotor in response to decrease in said feed pressure.

43. In stuff treatment apparatus, the combination of a rotor, a stator positioned to form a treatment zone therewith, means for driving said rotor to carry material through said treat ment zone, means for moving said stator toward and away from the rotor, means for su plying material to the treatment zone under p ssure, and control means responsive to variations in feed pressure of the material and connected to 'the stator moving means to control actuation thereof.

44. In stuff treatment apparatus, the combination of a rotor, a stator positioned to form a treatment zone therewith, means for driving said rotor to carry material through said treatment zone, means for'moving said stator in relation to therotor, means for supplying material to the treatmen zone under pressure, an i control means responsiv to variations in feed pressureof the material and connected to the stator moving means to control actuation thereof.

45. In stuff treatment aparatus, thecombination of; opposed. material treating members mounted to form-a treatment zone between them, .means for movingone of said members toward and away from the other,'means for supplying material to the treatment zone under pressure,

and control means responsive to variations in feed pressure of said material and operatively conmeans responsive to variations in said feed pressure and operatively connected with said adjustable member and with said 'material feeding means tomove said adjustable member in relation to the other member to vary the pressure on material in the treatment zone. y

47. In stuff treatment apparatus, the combination of opposed material treating members in cluding a stator and a rotor mounted with a treatment zone between them, one of said members being adjustable toward and away fromthe other of said members, means for feeding material under pressure to they treating zone including a conduit, arelief port connected thereto, and a valve controlling said port, means for moving said adjustable member to control pressure on material in the treating zone. and means for actuating said relief port valve, said moving meansand :gid actuating means being connected to said conduit and operative in response to variations in feed pressure therein. CHARLES P. TOLMAN.,

JAMES T. COGI-HLL. 

